First responders approaching an accident scene typically determine what is of most immediate danger to the victim's life and themselves in rescuing that victim. Reaching the victim safely generally requires an initial assessment of the accident scene followed by stabilization and structural support of surrounding surfaces, whether the accident involves an automobile crash, a potential building collapse, a potential collapse of a wall below grade level, as in a trench, or other hazard of the accident scene. Speed of deployment and set-up are of paramount importance to the first responder.
A variety of tools have been developed over the years for supporting and stabilizing surfaces in rescue operations. These tools can be used to secure an automobile body in place so that rescuers can cut open the passenger compartment to reach a victim, to secure a ceiling in place and provide structural support against collapse, and to hold open passageways in mining accidents or trenches in below-grade construction projects. Such valuable tools include the vehicle stabilization and support tools shown in FIG. 1 and labeled “prior art” and as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,158,705. As shown in this patent, this tool has a retractable and extendable pneumatically-assisted piston that can be extended from a cylinder or barrel and fixed in place to provide a brace. The piston extends to the desired length and the barrel secures the piston in place by a surrounding annular collar assembly to which is attached by a lanyard a pin that inserts through holes in the piston. The collar, with its locking studs released, rotates up against the pin for final adjustment of piston length and a tight supporting fit. Internal annular step surfaces in the collar engage corresponding inclined circumferential surfaces on the end of the barrel to provide for movement of the collar axially of the barrel to fit tight against the pin inserted into the piston. Locking studs are turned to secure the collar tight against the barrel once the collar is snug against the pin.
The tool shown in FIG. 1 herein is somewhat similar. The upper end of the collar provides inclined circumferential surfaces rotatingly to engage a pair of pins inserted through the piston. The upper surfaces of the barrel are flush and “T-handled” locking studs secure the collar to the barrel to preclude further rotation of the collar and to hold the collar tight against the pins during use.
While successful and secure in use, the tools described above sometimes cause problems in deployment. A rescuer normally will initially determine the length of structural support needed and release the locking system on the collar prior to placing the tool in a trench, under a ceiling, or engaging an automobile. If the pins fall out of the holes in the piston during transport or deployment, the piston may fall out of the barrel. The collar may separate from the barrel if the locking studs have been disengaged. Lanyards attaching pins to the locking studs may prove clumsy in use and get in the rescuers' way.
It would be desirable to provide a stabilization and support strut that reduces or eliminates problems in deployment.